Jim_Iain

I think you might be surprised that Retreat Guests (in my humble opinion) are usually less highly maintenance guests than some of those in the least expensive cabins. Just an observation while traveling. It is not uncommon for us to have so many bottles of gifted wine that we just leave them on the ship or try to offer on CC to others traveling on the same cruise. After teaching a university course for many years on understanding addictive behavior, I am confident that those that need to have their needs will have already planned on having a supply available. Like many other activities like a long hike or excursion many will plan on bringing snacks and water along. I'm just saying - Plan for it and you won't be disappointed.

Make sure you unfilter the Daily Planner - by default it only shows the recommended activities. You can also filter by just entertainment etc. I use it all the time. Also one on the cruise you can customized and add things of interest to you Personal Planner and it will give you a reminder of an upcoming activity, dinner reservation or excursion.

Really recommend getting the Celebrity App for your phone. Find your ship under ships we sail and look at a current cruise. In the App they have a Daily Planner visible when you click the center Calendar Icon. Under Daily planner first unfiltered from Recommended Activities to ALL activities. You will see what is offered every day and get a feel for what you enjoy doing. Example

Our December cruise showed "Cruise Cough" very prevalent many not even bothering to cover their mouth. I came down with it after 13 days onboard and eventually gave it to Iain. I took a Covid test and was negative and took another a couple days later and was still negative. We were going to a Christmas party 10 days after the cruise and all agreed to self test before - again remained negative. I looked up my symptoms by day and was able to diagnose - I had the Common Cold.

That is even better. Even though still rather restricted. I'm assuming those joining the TA that test positive will not be able to even board as the requirement is you must show a negative test. The good news (not really good) is that the Full Refund is still in force for those testing prior to the cruise. I think it ends after our cruise. I was really concerned about the testing. We are on a 7 Day Key West Belize cruise followed by a 15 day TA. I was envisioning getting tossed off in Fort Lauderdale and having to fly to Amsterdam where my SIL and BIL join us for a British Isle Cruise

Not sure when your cruise is but I would check on a regular basis. If you find a better price you can call in for the reduction or simply on line cancel and rebook. Good chance there was a better sail last week.

Purely subjective. I would never tip until the end of the cruise nor would I ever tip a waiter in a restaurant in advance. Personally I would feel like I were paying a bribe if tipping in advance. Normally if using the Butler for breakfast, lots of laundry, and other things and taken care of would tip between $5 - 10 per night. Also had a butler recently that had the personality of a robot. Would do everything as requested but nothing more. Was never engaging and would hardly nod to you in the hallway. I figured he earned the prepaid tips and didn't feel obligated to tip more. I do have to say that when traveling on a B2B or longer and knowing you will have the same staff for multiple cruises I tip pretty good on the first leg.

Please come back and report on your visit. We have also have never been and was considering it on our Apex cruise in April

It will be in the App. Also if the CC one you will get a CC list of events with dates and time in your room.

The fix reported a number of times is to go into your profile - Delete your CC number and Save then Put it back in and Save - I found it easiest to do in App.

I always ask mine to get my clothing laid out on my bed and help me get dressed. Come on haven't you watched Downton Abbey? LOL-- nah.. Basically your Butler is to take care of your needs and all the surface areas of your cabin. Drinks, Ice, Shoeshine, Laundry, Breakfast, Coffee etc etc. They are there for you while your room attendant takes care of the room. The responsibility meld between the Retreat and Butler and they will work together as a team to take care of reservations, excursions or any problems you have anywhere on the ship. The also will often stop by your room with little treats or just to say hello and see if you need anything like having your jacket pressed before a chic evening. I once had a problem late at nights that our lights wouldn't turn off. I just called the front desk and they sent up and electrician and he just pushed some button in the panel outside of our room and all fixed. Next day the butler dropped by asking why I hadn't called him as well as the Retreat Host inquiring if all was ok. I felt like they put it on a bulletin board but found they all including Retreat Manager, get a report of anytime your request help from Customer Service. They can also be incredible if you have a little or large party in your room. They will setup everything including comping nibbles, glasses and often a gratis bottles of wine. I'm sure it depends on level of suite and your relationship with your butler. I once had a party for about 30 CC Role Call members we had gotten to know prior to the cruise. He setup, answered the door and greeted guests allowing us to enjoy the party and after dinner the room looked like no one had ever been there. He comped trays of Shrimp and Cheese and had glasses setup for 50

Great - really curious of your thoughts once aboard. I took a look on CruiseDeckPlans - I'm guessing your on Nieuw Amsterdam which is a little smaller than Millennium. My first impression - purely me and just looking at pictures,but wasn't as awed as the first time I walked into the Penthouse on Millennium. I can only assume you will really miss the Millennium Class largest deck of any ships. Your getting me excited. LOL - doesn't take much while I'm sitting in my living room.

I don't believe it is San Francisco. I watched a program the other day and apparently the protocol is for ships on the Coastal Route during migration period to substantially increase the distance between ships and thus having to reduce ships speeds .. Thus they probably have to skip a port to meet their schedule. I'm surprised they chose San Francisco to eliminate but may have to do with scheduling of the port and revise time or date of arrival. These regulation by NOAA were just approved on January 5 https://www.noaa.gov/news-release/new-protections-for-endangered-whales-along-california-coast-adopted

I suspect if you self report. They are still doing B2B testing in Australia/New Zealand as well as I'm told will have to have a ships test on a B2B Transatlantic between the first Caribbean Cruise and TA. I would respectfully disagree for no reason to quarantine. Just because you start Paxlovid (and they don't carry on the ship) you are still contagious and package label recommend isolation for 5 days after begin. Vax reduces the risk of hospitalization but like myself and MANY others came down with Covid even though fully vaxed and boosted.

I would expect you will have a discussion with the Captain. In the past they health center checks at random time to make sure your in your room as well as Security has facial recognition and every time you use your card or dine your whereabouts are known. I heard of one such case and they were put off at the next port and required to get home at their own expense. This is also the protocol for a disruptive passenger. I've also seen a disruptive cruiser confined to room with a security guard sitting outside their room and then turned over to the police at the next port for failure to comply with a crew member. I would think there would also be a good possibility of being permanently banned from cruising with Celebrity.

Trish, I've been waiting to read your comparison ever since I last heard from you. I've always found your live posts and reviews both objective and informative. Many of us that travel in upper suites understand that the experience are not be the same as someone that is a lower classification but are interested in comparisons across shipping lines. Like you - due to many issues we are looking at other alternatives to Celebrity and I'm sure we will find your report both entertaining as well as informative. Hope you also have the opportunity and time to post some good pictures.

I have to agree 100% with you. When we were diagnosed last April on a B2B we were asymptomatic. I took a self test at midnight (so I wouldn't worry all night) and was negative - 7AM tested and was positive - I honestly thought it was a false positive but confirmed the next 11 days I was positive. Had I not been tested by the ship, I would have believed I was Negative. Also as others said the Self Test with Self Report are probably useless except for a good feeling. It gives me no sense of security or serenity knowing I have to trust everyone on the ship to be responsible. What would stop anyone from taking one test and both people take a separate picture of the same test. Scenario 2 - if someone doesn't even swab their nose and just put the sterile q-tip in and run the test. Scenario 3 - Someone with minimal technological knowledge changes the metadata of the picture to show the test being taken on a different date.

Thanks for the information. I'm pleased with them not tossing your off this ship with the hazmat ghost buster squad in front and back of you like we experience last April. Your reports are similar to the protocol on Summit in September TA to Iceland/Greenland and back. At that time those that tested positive stayed in original cabin for 5 days and spouse was offered to stay in isolation or move to empty cabin. The difference but potentially the same that if you tested positive again at the 5 day point you were quarantined for the remainder of the cruise. Have you heard of anyone that tested positive after the 5 days? This cold be concerning as when we caught Covid with asymptomatic symptoms we both tested Positive using our home Antigen kits for 11 days.

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They do fill cabins that are freed up by upgrade bids with these fire sales - I guess potential incremental revenue from spending aboard. Some revenue vs no revenue.

I guess anything is possible but having lived of 5th Ave a couple blocks from The Crows Nest in my hippie days, I really can't envision dumping 2,000 passengers in such a quiet harbor neighborhood which is 2 plus miles to Downtown or the Boardwalk. Just my opinion, knowing the culture of Santa Cruz it would be frowned upon.

Yes but you are SPECIAL. Loving the pictures. I could see by your snacks on your blog that we share the same tastes in junk food. Maybe I noticed it more as I am dieting after putting on 10 pounds over the Holidays something I try never to do - I guess a cruise and the holidays a week later was too much for my willpower.

Contact your agent (both) and see if someone can fix it for you. We invited my SIL and BIL on a cruise and I booked and paid for it with the same agent on the same card. Tried to book a dinner reservation and got the same thing except it said the we either different currency or different group bookings. I contacted my TA and he sent me a message back 10 minutes later saying - try again. This time everything is fine and I was able to book us all at the same time.

With a move up offer you have zero choice of the room I usually say expect the worst cabin in the category and be happy if you get a better room.

Don't want to hijack this great Live Post. I have my cruises in my signature you may need to expand to see - Next up April B2B TA one week in Amsterdam and then rejoin Apex for the British Isles Cruise